Of Grace and Passion
by Tangle
Summary: Companion piece to 'Of Needles and Shackles'-- Jean and Ororo contemplate returning to the mansion. (f/f)


Lovely, Enchanting  
By: Tangle  
Disclaimer: All your base are not belong to us.  
Summary: Companion piece to 'Fiery, Flaming'-- Jean and Ororo contemplate returning to the mansion (yuri)  
Rating: PG-13

~~~

Jean rolled over with a groan and buried her face in her pillow as she opened her eyes directly into sunlight. Every morning she told herself that she should have shut those curtains the night before and every night she completely forgot about it. But right now, that was going to change. She was sick of the sun waking her up so early on her vacation. It was her vacation, had been for the past two weeks and would continue to be for as long as she wanted, and some stupid sun had no right to take it away from her. She flopped over once again and glared at the offending curtains, yanking them shut with a swift tug of her mind. Giving herself a mental pat on the back, Jean settled back down.

The shifting bed caused a stir on the other side. Ororo stretched languidly in the remains of the sunlight, the sheets slipping off one long brown leg. She let her snow-white hair drape itself over her shoulders as it would as she propped herself up on one elbow to stare at Jean with cool blue eyes. "Sun bothering you again?" she teased gently, reaching over with one long fingered hand to brush a lock of fire like hair away from the other woman's face. Displaying a smile too similar to that of a cat, she pulled herself closer. "And after last night I thought you'd be able to sleep through anything," she purred as she leaned down to kiss her full across the lips.

The kiss was equally returned. It never ceased to amaze Jean how normal her new relationship with Ororo was. She hadn't known what to expect when it had first begun. A kiss in the kitchen later one night had started it, but both had been more than slightly tipsy and neither thought much of it--until it happened again the next night. And that night both were sober. Neither could explain how or why, just what, but neither denied that they liked it. It had taken a full day and a few telepathic brushes for Jean to realize that Ororo was as attracted to her as she was to Ororo and it wasn't just a physical thing either. Mutual respect, genuine friendship, passion desperately seeking release. It all added up to one conclusion and they took that conclusion to San Francisco. Days spent in the city, nights in their hotel suite--it was something Jean knew she could never get sick of. Compared to years upon years upon years of monotonous mansion life, this was pure paradise.

Jean opened her eyes as Ororo pulled back, staring into concern through a curtain of long white hair. "What's on your mind?" the weather goddess asked as if she could read her lover's thoughts. Jean could sometimes swear that she wasn't the telepath of the couple. No matter what she did to try to hide it, Ororo could always tell what she was thinking--just like she could right now. Jean had long since learned to stop trying to conceal it.

The redhead pulled herself to a sitting position where she could lean against the framework of the bed. The sheet she left at her waist. Ororo rolled onto her side, one arm supporting her head while the other stretched along the length of her body. "Just about how . . . normal this is," she finally said, locking the other woman's gaze with her own. "You know how religious my parents raised me. I grew up thinking something like this would have me burning in hell. Or that it would at least be awkward." She smiled softly and sighed. "But it's not. It's possibly the least awkward relationship I've ever had the privilege to be in."

"And?" Ororo knew there was more. She always knew.

"And I was also wondering how things were going back in Westchester," Jean admitted. Which she really had been. She was wondering if she was missed, if Ororo was missed. If they had bailed on anything important. If anyone cared that they were gone. How they were getting along minus two of the original teammembers, how Scott was getting along without it. Westchester wasn't always on her mind, but it wasn't always far from it either.

A smile was her first response. Then "So you want to go back?" was whispered low in her ear as Ororo pulled herself up on her hands, letting the sheet slide down her body to gather at her hips. Her tongue darted out to run across her full lower lip and Jean felt her breath catch in her suddenly dry throat. She loved this woman because she was her best friend. She loved this woman because she was a wonderful listener. She loved this woman because she was a beautiful person. And she loved her because she was just plain gorgeous. Jean's arms reached out on their own accord, wrapping gently around Ororo's neck and pulling her in closer. Their lips met once again and as they slid back down onto the bed Jean breathed just one word.

"Never."

~~~ End ~~~


End file.
